Auditory device cable arrangement

Abstract

An auditory device includes an electronics module, a receiver and a cable connecting the electronics module to the receiver. The electronics module includes an enclosure shaped to be positioned behind an outer portion of either a left ear or a right ear of a user and circuitry within the enclosure. The receiver is configured for being located in either a left or a right ear canal of the user. When inserted into the left ear canal, the receiver occupies a left ear canal insertion position, and when inserted into the right ear canal, the receiver occupies a right ear canal insertion position. The cable and the receiver are shaped and configured such that the receiver is presented in a neutral position when no external force other than gravity is acting upon the receiver, the neutral position being between the left ear canal insertion position and the right ear canal insertion position.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An auditory device comprising:
 an electronics module including an enclosure shaped to be positioned behind an outer portion of either a left ear or a right ear of a user and circuitry within the enclosure; 
 a receiver configured for being located in either a left ear canal or a right ear canal of the user, when inserted into the left ear canal the receiver occupying a left ear canal insertion position, and when inserted into the right ear canal the receiver occupying a right ear canal insertion position; and 
 a cable connecting the electronics module to the receiver, the cable including wires provided within a jacket made from a flexible material, the cable and the receiver being shaped and configured such that the receiver is presented in a neutral position when no external force other than gravity is acting upon the receiver, the neutral position being located between the left ear canal insertion position and the right ear canal insertion position, 
 wherein the cable follows a curve that includes a first turning point, a second turning point, and a third turning point when the receiver is presented in the neutral position with no external force other than gravity acting upon the receiver, 
 when travelling along the cable from where the cable extends from the enclosure of the electronics module toward where the cable connects with the receiver the first turning point being located nearest to where the cable extends from the enclosure of the electronics module, the second turning point being located between the first turning point and the third turning point, and the third turning point being located nearest to the receiver, 
 wherein the second turning point is located vertically below the third turning point when the electronics module is positioned so as to be positioned behind the outer portion of either the left ear or the right ear of the user and the receiver is in the neutral position with no external force other than gravity acting upon the receiver, 
 wherein an expansion force required to extend the receiver at least 12 mm downward from the neutral position is less than 100 milliNewtons (mN). 
 
     
     
       2. The auditory device of  claim 1 , wherein at least an upper portion of the cable is configured so as to be biased toward the user's head or the ear cavity of the left ear of the user when the electronics module is positioned behind the outer portion of left ear of the user and the cable is twisted from the receiver being in the neutral position toward the receiver being located in the left ear canal in the left ear canal insertion position, and
 the upper portion of the cable is configured so as to be biased toward the user's head or the ear cavity of the right ear of the user when the electronics module is positioned behind the outer portion of right ear of the user and the cable is twisted from the receiver being in the neutral position toward the receiver being located in the right ear canal in the right ear canal insertion position. 
 
     
     
       3. The auditory device of  claim 1 , wherein the cable is formed such that the second turning point remains located vertically below the third turning point when the electronics module is rotated in a plane in which the curve resides and the receiver is presented in the neutral position with no external force other than gravity acting upon the receiver. 
     
     
       4. The auditory device of  claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is symmetrical with respect to a symmetrical plane. 
     
     
       5. The auditory device of  claim 4 , wherein the receiver includes a housing and an ear bud connected with the housing, wherein the ear bud includes an ear bud outlet positioned in the symmetrical plane when the receiver is presented in the neutral position with no external force other than gravity acting upon the receiver. 
     
     
       6. The auditory device of  claim 5 , wherein the ear bud outlet faces away from the electronics module when the receiver is in the neutral position with no external force other than gravity acting upon the receiver. 
     
     
       7. The auditory device of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver includes a housing and an ear bud connected with the housing, wherein the ear bud includes an ear bud outlet facing away from the electronics module when the receiver is in the neutral position with no external force other than gravity acting upon the receiver. 
     
     
       8. The auditory device of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver includes a housing and an ear bud connected with the housing, the housing including an elbow. 
     
     
       9. The auditory device of  claim 8 , wherein the elbow is located at an intersection of a first axis extending through a center of an ear bud outlet of the ear bud and a second axis extending through a center of an opening in the housing that receives the cable. 
     
     
       10. The auditory device of  claim 9 , wherein an angle measured between the first axis and the second axis is an obtuse angle. 
     
     
       11. The auditory device of  claim 10 , wherein the angle measured between the first axis and the second axis is between 95 degrees and 105 degrees. 
     
     
       12. An auditory device comprising:
 an electronics module including an enclosure shaped to be positioned behind an outer portion of either a left ear or a right ear of a user and circuitry within the enclosure; 
 a receiver configured for being located in either a left ear canal or a right ear canal of the user, when inserted into the left ear canal the receiver occupying a left ear canal insertion position, and when inserted into the right ear canal the receiver occupying a right ear canal insertion position; and 
 a cable connecting the electronics module to the receiver, the cable including wires provided within a jacket made from a flexible material, the cable and the receiver being shaped and configured such that the receiver is presented in a neutral position when no external force other than gravity is acting upon the receiver, the neutral position being located between the left ear canal insertion position and the right ear canal insertion position, 
 wherein the cable follows a curve that includes a first turning point, a second turning point, and a third turning point when the receiver is presented in the neutral position with no external force other than gravity acting upon the receiver, 
 when travelling along the cable from where the cable extends from the enclosure of the electronics module toward where the cable connects with the receiver the first turning point being located nearest to where the cable extends from the enclosure of the electronics module, the second turning point being located between the first turning point and the third turning point, and the third turning point being located nearest to the receiver, 
 wherein the second turning point is located vertically below the third turning point when the electronics module is positioned so as to be positioned behind the outer portion of either the left ear or the right ear of the user and the receiver is in the neutral position with no external force other than gravity acting upon the receiver, 
 wherein a torque required to rotate the receiver from the neutral position 90 degrees toward the left ear canal insertion position and from the neutral position 90 degrees toward the right ear canal insertion position is less than 0.00045 Nm. 
 
     
     
       13. The auditory device of  claim 12 , wherein a torque required to rotate the receiver from the neutral position 60 degrees toward the left ear canal insertion position and from the neutral position 60 degrees toward the right ear canal insertion position is less than 0.0003 Nm. 
     
     
       14. The auditory device of  claim 12 , wherein an expansion force required to extend the receiver at least 12 mm downward from the neutral position is less than 100 milliNewtons (mN). 
     
     
       15. The auditory device of  claim 12 , wherein at least an upper portion of the cable is configured so as to be biased toward the user's head or the ear cavity of the left ear of the user when the electronics module is positioned behind the outer portion of left ear of the user and the cable is twisted from the receiver being in the neutral position toward the receiver being located in the left ear canal in the left ear canal insertion position, and
 the upper portion of the cable is configured so as to be biased toward the user's head or the ear cavity of the right ear of the user when the electronics module is positioned behind the outer portion of right ear of the user and the cable is twisted from the receiver being in the neutral position toward the receiver being located in the right ear canal in the right ear canal insertion position. 
 
     
     
       16. The auditory device of  claim 12 , wherein the cable is formed such that the second turning point remains located vertically below the third turning point when the electronics module is rotated in a plane in which the curve resides and the receiver is presented in the neutral position with no external force other than gravity acting upon the receiver. 
     
     
       17. The auditory device of  claim 12 , wherein the enclosure is symmetrical with respect to a symmetrical plane,
 wherein the receiver includes a housing and an ear bud connected with the housing, wherein the ear bud includes an ear bud outlet positioned in the symmetrical plane when the receiver is presented in the neutral position with no external force other than gravity acting upon the receiver, and 
 wherein the ear bud outlet faces away from the electronics module when the receiver is in the neutral position with no external force other than gravity acting upon the receiver. 
 
     
     
       18. The auditory device of  claim 12 , wherein the receiver includes a housing and an ear bud connected with the housing, the housing including an elbow,
 wherein the elbow is located at an intersection of a first axis extending through a center of an ear bud outlet of the ear bud and a second axis extending through a center of an opening in the housing that receives the cable, 
 wherein an angle measured between the first axis and the second axis is an obtuse angle, and 
 wherein the angle measured between the first axis and the second axis is between 95 degrees and 105 degrees.